What Pro Food Systems, Inc. does

Pro Food Systems, Inc. (PFSbrands) is a privately held, 100% employee-owned multi-brand foodservice platform founded in 1998 by Shawn and Julie Burcham and headquartered in Holts Summit, Missouri. The company operates a portfolio of franchise brands (Champs Chicken, Hangar 54 Pizza, BluTaco), licensed brands (Cooper's Express, Wingman Pizza, Hot Mex Express), and programs (Grab & Go, Private Label, Red Letter) that are deployed inside convenience stores, grocery stores, travel centers, and stand-alone QSR locations across 40+ states. Its core customer segments include convenience store operators, grocery chains, travel centers, and franchisees/entrepreneurs seeking turnkey in-store foodservice solutions under the Business-within-a-Business (BWB) model. PFSbrands serves over 30,000 retailers and 580+ franchise restaurants, with 1,500+ branded locations nationwide.

PFSbrands monetizes through six revenue streams: (1) franchise fees and royalties, including a no-upfront-fee BWB model; (2) licensed brand fees for Cooper's Express, Wingman Pizza, and Hot Mex Express; (3) food product and ingredient sales across 100+ branded and non-branded SKUs; (4) commercial kitchen equipment sales with 24–60-month financing through Patriot Capital Corporation; (5) managed freight and logistics via PFS Freight (dry van, reefer, flatbed, intermodal, LTL, expedited, temp-controlled); and (6) custom blending and manufacturing through PFS Blends, an SQF-certified facility with an automated 80,000-pound flour delivery system. In April 2025 the company expanded into grocery retail with the acquisition of Moser's Foods (9 locations).

The proprietary technology platform — Order Management System, ComTab (digital logs/training), Digital Menu System, Occupancy Counter, Mobile Apps for brand ordering and rewards, and PFSnet secure router — provides operational visibility and consistency across partner locations. Supporting infrastructure includes 10 Levels of Partner Support (Regional Business Developers, Store Planning, Project Management, Regional Training Specialists, Retail Growth Advisors, Technology, Marketing, Print Shop, People Success, and Customer Success), an in-house Marketing Development Fund, and the GRITT Business Coaching division with its proprietary GRITTrac goal-tracking software and annual GRITT Summit leadership conference.

Name

Pro Food Systems, Inc.

Legal name

Pro Food Systems, Inc.

Website

https://pfsbrands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pro Food Systems, Inc. (PFSbrands) is a 100% employee-owned multi-brand foodservice platform that deploys franchise, licensed, and private-label food brands inside convenience stores, grocery stores, and travel centers across 40+ states, supplying food products, equipment, logistics, and custom blending to over 30,000 retail partners and 1,500+ branded locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foodservice Franchising and Distribution

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Poultry and Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers (42444), Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118), Meat Retailers (445240)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grab-and-Go Packaging, Merchandising & Food Safety Programs (Retail Ops) (CRAHAKAL), Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB), Foodservice Packaging & Takeout Containers Wholesale (AFAIALAE), Contract Foodservice Management (Outsourced Catering) (THAFAIAH)

Keywords

• Foodservice franchising
• Private label foodservice
• Commercial kitchen equipment
• Custom food blending
• Managed freight services

Headquarters

HQ city

Holts Summit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Traditional franchise model where franchisees pay fees and ongoing royalties for branded foodservice programs. Some programs offer no upfront franchise fees and no ongoing royalties through a 'Business-within-a-Business' (BWB) model.
2. Licensed Brand Fees: Flexible licensing programs for Cooper's Express, Wingman Pizza, and Hot Mex Express allowing operators to leverage established brands without full franchise costs.
3. Food Products and Ingredients: Sale of over 100 premium branded and non-branded food products including seasonings, breadings, meats, seafood, baked goods, condiments, pizza ingredients, oils, and supplies to franchise and retail partners.
4. Equipment Sales and Financing: Commercial kitchen and deli equipment sales with financing options through Patriot Capital Corporation (24, 36, 48, or 60-month leasing). Equipment includes cooking, refrigeration, work tables, display merchandisers, and holding equipment.
5. Freight and Logistics Services: PFS Freight provides managed logistics solutions including dry van, reefer, flatbed, intermodal (rail), LTL, expedited, temp controlled, and custom transportation modes nationwide.
6. Custom Blending and Manufacturing: PFS Blends provides custom blend development, reverse engineering, and manufacturing services for grocery chains and food manufacturers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pro Food Systems, Inc. (PFSbrands) operates a multi-brand foodservice franchise and licensing platform, offering franchise brands (Champs Chicken, Hangar 54 Pizza, BluTaco) and licensed brands (Cooper's Express, Hot Mex Express, Wingman Pizza) that can be deployed as stand-alone QSRs or inside existing retail locations via its Business-within-a-Business model. The company also sells over 100 branded and non-branded food products, commercial kitchen equipment with financing, custom food blends and seasonings through PFS Blends, managed freight logistics through PFS Freight, leadership and business coaching through GRITT, and operates the Moser's Foods grocery chain acquired in April 2025.

Product overview

PFSbrands operates as a multi-brand foodservice platform offering franchise brands (Champs Chicken, BluTaco, Hangar 54 Pizza), licensed brands (Cooper's Express, Hot Mex Express, Wingman Pizza), and programs (Grab & Go, Private Label). The portfolio extends to custom manufacturing via PFS Blends, logistics through PFS Freight, and business leadership via GRITT Business Coaching. The company also acquired Moser's Foods grocery chain. All offerings are supported by 10 Levels of Partner Support including training, marketing, technology, and supply chain services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Champs Chicken: Fried chicken foodservice franchise founded in 1998, with locations in over 40 states.
• Hangar 54 Pizza
• BluTaco
• Cooper's Express
• Wingman Pizza
• Hot Mex Express
• Grab & Go Program
• Private Label Program
• Red Letter
• PFS Blends
• PFS Freight
• Moser’s Foods
• GRITT Business Coaching

Products and services

• Champs Chicken A fried chicken franchise brand founded in 1998 and offered to franchisees and in-store retail partners under PFSbrands' Business-within-a-Business model. Operates in over 40 states with high-quality chicken products and comprehensive franchise partner support including training, marketing, and supply chain services.
• Hangar 54 Pizza An aviation-themed pizza franchise brand with over 150 locations across 28 states, offering casual dining with streamlined operational systems. Available as a stand-alone QSR franchise or inside existing retail locations under the Business-within-a-Business model.
• BluTaco A Mexican food franchise brand with Southwest-inspired flavors operating across 16 states, offered to franchisees with streamlined operational systems and PFSbrands' 10 Levels of Support.
• Cooper's Express A Cajun-inspired chicken and seafood licensed brand with kicked-up flavor profile, featuring ovenable products that require no hood or fryer, lowering the barrier to entry for retail operators.
• Hot Mex Express A Southwest/Mexican licensed brand offering bold Mexican cuisine with low operational friction and scalable systems for retail operators who want a brand without full franchise complexity.
• Wingman Pizza A streamlined pizza licensed brand featuring 14-inch premium par-baked crust, grab-and-go slices, and minimal overhead for retailers seeking a recognizable pizza concept without full franchise complexity.
• Grab & Go Program A foodservice program delivering fresh, ready-to-enjoy meals including fried chicken, pizza, sandwiches, and sides for convenience stores, retail locations, and travel stops.
• Private Label Program Custom branded foodservice programs allowing partners to use their own brand name with FDA-compliant menus, tailored formulations, and packaging for grocery and retail operators.
• Red Letter A dessert brand specializing in Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Brownies and indulgent baked goods made with quality ingredients, sold to retail and foodservice partners.
• PFS Blends A blending and breading manufacturing division founded in 2016, offering custom and proprietary seasoning blends with a state-of-the-art automated flour delivery system (two 80,000-pound exterior silos) for grocery chains and food manufacturers.
• PFS Freight Managed logistics division providing freight solutions including Dry Van, Reefer, Flatbed, Intermodal Rail, LTL, Expedited, and Temp Controlled shipping across the nation.
• GRITT Business Coaching Leadership development and business coaching service including the proprietary GRITTrac goal-tracking software and the annual GRITT Summit conference, supporting executives, entrepreneurs, and business coaches.
• Equipment Division Commercial kitchen and deli equipment including cooking equipment, refrigeration, work tables, display merchandisers, and holding cabinets from 160+ manufacturers, with financing options (24-60 month leases) through Patriot Capital Corporation.
• Food Products Over 100 premium branded and non-branded food products including meats, seafood, sides, baked goods, condiments, pizza ingredients, oils, spices, breadings, and supplies manufactured at SQF-certified production facilities and sold to franchise and retail partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,200+ branded food service programs operated across the network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Moser's FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 November 2023PFSbrands (through its parent company Pro Food Systems, Inc.) acquired Moser's Foods, a Mid-Missouri grocery chain with 9 locations (previously 8 locations plus 1 convenience store). The acquisition, expected to close in March 2025 and completed on April 1, 2025, integrates Moser's Foods under PFSbrands' employee-owned model. Moser's Foods was founded in 1982 by Roger and Jeanie Moser and has been a partner for more than 25 years before the acquisition.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Inspire Brands: Multi-concept QSR franchisor (Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Dunkin', Jimmy John's, Baskin-Robbins). Comparable to PFSbrands as a multi-brand franchisor platform, though at materially larger scale and backed by Roark Capital.
• Focus Brands (now GoTo Foods): Multi-brand franchisor (Cinnabon, Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Jamba, Moe's, Schlotterbeck's). Comparable franchise-portfolio structure and licensed-brand model to PFSbrands' Champs/Hangar 54/BluTaco and licensed brand stack.
• ARKO Corp (GPM Investments): Convenience-store retailer and franchisor (approximately 1,400+ stores across 30+ banners). Comparable as both a potential channel partner and a competitive downstream owner of foodservice programs that could displace PFSbrands at retail.
• Pilot Travel Centers (Pilot Flying J): Largest travel-center operator in North America and a major in-store foodservice host. Comparable as a channel customer that PFSbrands explicitly targets with its travel-center foodservice offering.
• Casey's General Stores: Large Midwestern c-store chain with an owned in-store foodservice program (Casey's Kitchen). Comparable as both a potential channel customer for PFSbrands and a competitive operator of proprietary in-store foodservice.
• Sheetz: Mid-Atlantic c-store chain known for proprietary made-to-order foodservice. Comparable to Casey's as a vertically integrated c-store foodservice operator that represents both an opportunity and a competitive threat for PFSbrands' c-store program.

Direct peers

• Wingstop: Pure-play QSR franchisor with a single concept and franchise-heavy unit growth model. Comparable as a franchise-led growth case study in the chicken QSR category where PFSbrands competes via Champs Chicken.
• Bojangles' Restaurants: Regional chicken-and-biscuits QSR franchise with a footprint concentrated in the Southeast. Directly comparable to Champs Chicken on menu positioning (chicken-focused) and franchise model.
• Fazoli's: Italian QSR franchise historically embedded in travel centers, malls, and non-traditional retail locations. Highly comparable to PFSbrands' embedded-retail foodservice strategy and travel-center penetration.
• Capriotti's Sandwich Shop: Fast-growing sub/sandwich QSR franchise with a strong non-traditional and embedded-retail growth strategy. Comparable unit-economics profile and franchisee support model to PFSbrands' licensed-brand stack.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pfsbrands
• Facebookfacebook.com/pfsbrands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/706720

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pro Food Systems, Inc.